


Ask Fics

by INeverHadMyInternetPhase



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: 2009!phan, Alcohol, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Reality, Slight swearing, each chapter is a separate mini fic, not all tags apply to every chapter, parent!phan, prompt fills
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-27
Updated: 2016-05-28
Packaged: 2018-07-10 14:56:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 9,872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6990028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/INeverHadMyInternetPhase/pseuds/INeverHadMyInternetPhase
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of mini fics originally posted and prompted on tumblr. All very very fluffy</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Things you said when you thought I was asleep

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote these as a series of prompts on tumblr to get myself back into writing after exams :) it's basically a heap of reality fluff, so if that's your thing, you should like it. Hope you enjoy! ^_^

Dan’s eyes fluttered, but they stayed closed. He was sprawled out on the mattress, spread-eagled as usual, taking up far more space than he was warranted. The blankets had become a twisted mess around him, wrapped up in a stubborn knot.

Phil watched all this with the slightest smirk.

He rolled onto his back after a while, staring up at the ceiling instead of staring at the still-sleeping Dan (because that was a bit creepy, right? Even after almost seven years, it had to still be creepy). The phone on the bedside table - his or Dan’s, he’d lost track - flashed up that it was four in the morning, and Phil grumbled under his breath. Late nights weren’t really his thing - that was more of Dan’s speciality.

A slight shift in the bedcovers had Phil rolling again, pressing a quick hand to his mouth. The last thing he needed was to make too much noise and disturb Dan on one of the few nights when he might actually be getting something close to a decent sleep. Phil leaned on his elbow, balanced precaiously over their shared pillows as he sent a nervous glance at Dan.

He needn’t have worried.

Dan was still sprawled out, his long limbs taking up far too much room. His eyes were lightly shut, his face smooth and relaxed. The shadows in the room glanced long across his body, tracing caverns in his cheeks and crevices where his dimple should be.

Phil resisted the urge to poke him. Instead, he flopped down beside Dan with a gusty sigh, muttering, “Thank goodness you stayed asleep. You’d have yelled at me for waking you this late. Or, well,” his eyes slid over to the time on the phone again, “Early, really.”

Several minutes of frustrated shuffling around later, and Phil was still wide awake. He should honestly know better than to nap in the early afternoon - a few minutes turned into an hour turned into several hours and then, before he knew it, he was waking up at 3am with Dan fast asleep by his side. Phil sent a sideways glare to him now, grumbling, “It isn’t fair, you look positively _blissful._ Why can’t I be asleep like you?”

But, the more Phil looked, the more he felt the knot in his stomach slowly begin to unwind. Any thoughts of escaping the bed, maybe to make a glass of milk or film another ‘Sleepless night with Phil’ fled in the wake of Dan’s softly-moving chest, or floppy hair still curling from the end of the previous day.

Phil relaxed beside him, giving in and lifting one finger to lightly trace the corner of Dan’s cheek. In response, Dan’s entire expression shifted, crinkling up just slightly, the corners of his eyes creasing. He remained still and silent, though, so Phil risked sliding a little closer. He nudged his face into the crook of Dan’s neck.

“Still love you a lot,” he mumbled against Dan’s skin. “Should probably tell you that more.”

Dan didn’t move, so Phil closed his eyes and burrowed closer, his body slowly relaxing against Dan’s.

That was, until a hand touched his hair, and Dan’s low, scratchy voice mumbled, “No probably about it. You should _definitely_ tell me that more often.”

Phil jerked back, his eyes shooting wide open. He stared up at Dan to find Dan staring back at him with a sleepy, twinkling gaze, one hand still resting against Phil’s hair.

“Traitor,” Phil accused. “You were supposed to be sleeping.”

“So were you.” Dan gave a massive yawn, sprawling out even further on the bed.

“Yeah, well,” Phil sniffed, “I woke up.”

“I told you not to have that nap.”

“But I was _tired.”_

“Well, you’ll be more tired tomorrow.” Dan shifted, winding his arm around Phil’s neck. “C’mon. Stop talking to yourself and let me go back to sleep.”

“I hate you.”

“Of course you do, you spork.” Dan’s voice was thick with tiredness and affection. “Of course you do.”


	2. Things you said when you were drunk

“It’s just so _bright_!”

“Yes, Dan, I can see that.”

“No, but look at it! There are - there are _stars,_ and the _moon_ is so - it’s so - it’s _zazzed,_ Phil, that’s what it is.”

Phil couldn’t stop the smile from twitching up the corners of his mouth. He leaned against the railing, keeping one sideways eye trained on Dan just in case Dan felt the need to try and throw himself up into the sky, or accidentally run out in to the road, or anything else that his slightly intoxicated state might lead him to.

“I mean,” Dan continued in that breathy, slightly-too-fast, rough way of speaking he had when everything got a bit too much. Phil had heard that tone often over the years, but rarely did he get to be so _close_ to it. “I mean, look, it’s really really dark tonight, y’know? But not in that scary hallway something’s-coming-to-kill-us kind of way. More in the - in the - like, we’re _free,_ that kind of way. You know what I mean?”

“Sort of,” Phil answered honestly.

Dan shot him a mildly admonishing look. “Whaddya mean, _sort of_?”

Phil didn’t even try to hold back his grin this time. “I mean, drunk you is sort of hard to keep up with, Dan. Even more than sober you.”

“…Huh.” Dan paused for several seconds, his brow furrowing. He mulled that thought over, twisting his face into several expression before, eventually, settling on pride. “S’pose that’s a good thing.”

“How’s that?”

“Can keep your interest.”

Phil narrowed his eyes, turning fully to lean against the fence as he faced Dan. The party was still raging on in the house behind them, but they’d made quick work of grabbing some of the snacks and escaping into the garden - typical them, really, no one should have expected anything else. Phil tilted his head. “You always keep my interest, Dan.”

“Yeah, but it’s not going to last forever.” Dan’s voice had dropped, but he was still speaking too fast, his words running eagerly into each other. “I mean, you’re _literally_ AmazingPhil. And soon you’re gonna get bored of me and move on, and I, I mean, I just have to keep on being interesting as long as I can.”

Something in Phil’s chest shifted at that. He leaned closer, automatically, his arm finding its way around Dan’s waist to bring this young silly boy into his arms. He nosed Dan’s hair. “Drunk you is more ridiculous than sober you, too.”

Dan leaned gratuitously into his touch. It was almost too much - all of this, the crisp cold air, the darkening sky, the warmth of another body pressed so close to his. Phil almost closed his eyes, almost lost himself to it.

But he couldn’t. At least one of them needed to keep a sensible head on their shoulders.

“I just want to keep being like them.” Dan gestured vaguely up at the sky, as well as he could with his body engulfed by Phil’s.

“Like who?”

“Like the stars.” Dan was staring straight up, his face cool in the shadows of the encroaching night. “They shine brighter together, I think. I think - I think I don’t want to shine without you.”

That something in Phil’s chest twisted. He smiled, burying closer to Dan, pulling this impossible person as tight against him as he could. He could smell the alcohol, knew that Dan would be mortified if he even rememered saying this in the morning, but - but for now, this moment was theirs, and Phil at least would treasure it forever.

“I think we’re like those,” he whispered in Dan’s ear, pointing to two of the three stars that made up Orion’s belt.

Dan grimaced, turning his head just enough to send Phil a judgemental glare. “Really? Out of all the constellations, you pick the most obvious?”

“It’s also one of the brightest,” Phil argued, unwilling to admit that Orion was about the only constellation he knew.

Dan huffed. “There’s literally the bear, Phil. And Sirius. You picked a belt over a _dog.”_

Phil huffed. “I was trying to be sweet.”

“You failed. As per usual.”

“Rude.” Phil nuzzled Dan’s hair, hoping affection would shut him up. Or at least get him back on his drunkenly warm path until the alcohol wore off and he sobered up again. “Plus, Orion has more than one star, which I thought was the point you were making.”

“Was it?” Dan sounded mildly confused for a second, and Phil wanted to sweep him up and keep him close forever. “Oh, yeah, it was. Well. Maybe we can be like Orion then. But who’s the third person? I don’t want another…”

“There will never be another,” Phil promised. The words slid easily off his tongue, but then sat heavily in the air between them.

Dan blinked, long and hard. When he next looked at Phil, it was with the brightest smile that Phil had ever been graced with.

“Yeah. That sounds good.”


	3. Things you said at the kitchen table

“ _Where_ have my doritos gone?!”

Phil was already running, vaulting the stupid bean bag and darting around the corner of the lounge, running as fast as he could for the corridor. Footsteps were following behind him, but he’d put up some defenses and - 

“ _Fucking shit baskets!”_

\- Yep, there went Dan running into the glass kitchen door. Phil barely contained his grin as he jumped over the last of their pile of DVDs and made it into the corridor, rushing unsteadily towards his bedroom. The bag of doritos in his hand was already mostly empty, and even as he ran he shoved the last few shreds of the snack into his mouth.

“ _Phil,_ I swear, when I catch you…!”

No more time to play around. Phil tossed the empty wrapper somewhere behind him and dived for his bedroom door, but just when his fingers were closing around the handle, a smattering of footsteps behind him warned of his pursuer’s approach.

“No, no no no no!” Phil scrambled for the door, but he was too slow - before he could step over the threshold, Dan had his arms thrown around Phil’s waist and was tackling him to the floor.

“Dan!” Phil squealed, kicking and struggling beneath him. “Don’t you think we’re a bit old for this?”

“Don’t _you_ think you’re a bit old to be stealing my food?” Dan only let up for long enough to drag Phil back upright, grabbing his hand and marching him back towards the scene of the crime.

The kitchen was, as ever, a total disaster. All the cupboard doors were open, there were a few scattered remains of wrappers lying across the counter, and the table was covered in crumbs.

Phil at least had the grace to look a little guilty.

“ _Well_?” Dan turned to him, eyebrows up, hands on his hips, looking every bit the angry housewife.

Phil bit that thought down before it could get him into any more trouble.

“I was hungry!” He defended himself weakly, his hands up in the air in a placating gesture.

Dan harrumphed. “Hungry. You were hungry.”

“You know I have a problem!”

“But you went for _my_ food.”

“Hence why it’s a problem!”

“Phil.” Dan closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Phil, we’ve talked about this.

“At least it wasn’t your cereal this time,” Phil hedged.

Dan glanced up at him, his eyes sharpening right up. Before Phil could say another word, Dan was spinning around and striding towards their cereal cupboard, his expression downright dangerous.

“Um,” Phil started, “Before you say anything…”

“Phil, _all my cereal is gone!”_

 _“_ Well.” Phil coughed, backing up against the counter when Dan span around and turned his most dangerous glare on him. “I mean, that’s one way of looking at it, yes.”

“ _One way of…”_

 _“_ I mean, another one is to say you can buy even more cereal now!” Phil lifted both hands and attempted a smile.

Dan held the glare for as long as he could, but Phil swore he saw Dan’s lips twitching. Dan’s tone, however, remained severely unimpressed. “I think you mean _you’ll_ be buying me cereal.”

Phil’s eyes opened wide. Betrayal settled in his chest.

“Don’t go looking like that,” Dan berated him, “I’ve been looking forward to those doritos _all week_ , you _knew_ I was saving them.”

“I knew,” Phil nodded, “But they were the last thing left!”

“Were they.”

“I went through all the cupboards first.”

“I can see that,” Dan answered, sending a dry glance around the bomb site of a kitchen.

Phil chewed on his lip. “Uh. I’ll make dinner tonight to make up for it?”

“Oh, you will,” Dan answered darkly. “Tonight, and tomorrow night, and every night for the rest of the week. Oh, and I expect first dibs on the next Dan vs. Phil, and I’m choosing the anime we watch tomorrow morning.”

Phil wrinkled his nose. “All that over some doritos?”

“They were _important_ to me, Phil,” Dan hissed as he stalked his way back out of the kitchen. “Remember that next time you steal my food.”


	4. Things you said after you kissed me

Too long, it had always been too long, even if it was only a matter of minutes. They both remembered all too well how long the distance used to be, back before they could live together, before the blissful happy truth that was their life now had come together so terribly well.

They remembered the endless pang for companionship, the endless need to be together when all they had were phone calls and blurry webcams. An image had never done them justice, either - Phil knew, now, that Dan’s cheeks were warm and grew warmer under his touch, that his hair frizzed out at the edges unless he kept flattening it down, and Phil could make him forget to do so if given enough time.

Those were the sorts of things you didn’t learn over a webcam.

He said as much, in murmured whispers fed into the shared air between them, stolen kisses captured in the silent moments of the day. Dan would laugh at him, ruffle his hair, and berate him for being such a sentimental old fool.

But Phil rather liked that label. Not so much the ‘old’ part, Dan might be younger but Phil was young at heart, but the ‘sentimental fool’ part was something he could grow to like. Especially when directed at Dan.

He caught Dan’s hand now, as Dan was trying to get off the sofa to do something far less important than cuddling Phil right now. He tugged and tugged until Dan fell tumbling down against him again, stilfing a chuckle behind an exasperated sigh of “ _Phil.”_

 _“_ Just c’mere,” Phil muttered in response, tugging at Dan until he was close enough to kiss. Phil closed his eyes and ran his fingers through Dan’s hair, kissing him once, twice, and again until he felt Dan start to melt into him, curling up on the creased sofa cushions.

“I really need this, you know,” Phil mumbled when they parted, the words almost desperate against Dan’s lips.

“Hm?” Dan’s tone was dreamy; distant.

“I just -” Phil’s tone was too close to desperate, matching the grabbing of his hands as he grasped onto Dan’s shirt. “I just, I _need._ You can’t go again. Ever.”

“Well, I wasn’t planning on it.” Dan blinked, coming to himself for long enough to grasp Phil’s chin and send him a concerned look. “You ok?”

“Yeah, yeah, I just.” Phil held Dan’s gaze for a moment before he nuzzled in close again, desperate to drink in every part of Dan’s nearness. “I just - I don’t do alone very well.”

Because it was true - Phil went crazy on his own. He climbed the walls. He imploded, quietly. He slowly dug at himself until their was nothing else, trying to fix the weirdness that so often seemed to push others away.

Others - but not Dan.

Because Dan’s fingers were curling in his hair, winding around his back, holding him firmly against Dan’s familiar chest. Phil breathed in the scent he knew as _home_ and released a careful, relaxed breath.

“Don’t worry,” Dan soothed into his ear, threading his fingers through Phil’s hair. “I’m not going anywhere.”


	5. Things you said with too many miles between us

Dan’s gaze was fixed on the laptop screen, nerves bubbling around in his stomach. Still, after all this time, when he knew for a _fact_ that Phil was just another dork on the internet sitting a few hundred miles away, Dan’s stomach decided that doing backflips was the best idea while waiting for the skype call to connect.

And, as usual, it was taking forever.

Dan’s fingers were digging into the hem of his overly-long t shirt - plaid, not what he’d usually wear, but he knew that Phil liked wearing them.

And no, he wasn’t dressing for him. Of course not. How dare such a thing even be suggested?

He chewed at his lower lip, fidgeting cross-legged on the bed as skype continued to take forever to connect. Even as he waited, his phone buzzed from beside him, the screen lighting up like a beacon in his darkened room. (Who bothered standing up to turn on a light switch these days?)

**Phil:** _Sorry. Think my internet is having issues 0.o_

**Dan:** _No worries, mine is probably terrible too xD_

**Phil:** _Yeah but I wanna talk to you still. Wait until it connects pls? <3_

Dan smiled even as he typed out that of course he would, who did Phil even think he was? There was no way Dan would miss out on a chance to speak to his favourite internet person.

Maybe he should tone down the fangirling a bit.

Finally, _finally,_ the Skype call connected. Dan stared at the screen, ordering his heart to stop flipping the fuck out while he watched the pixels flicker into place, revealing Phil in all his night-time glory, glasses on, hair ruffled, wrapped up in his green and blue bedsheets.

Dan was, not for the first time, hit with the overwhelming urge to just _be there_ with him.

“Dan!” Phil’s eyes lit up the moment the call connected, and he bounced forward, far too full of energy for this late at night. “I thought you’d been eaten by a giant internet monster, or something.”

Dan’s lips twitched. “Not yet. But there’s still time.”

“If it comes for you just tell me and I’ll send my army of internet minions to save you.” Phil made a cawing sound, spreading his arms wide at the screen in a way that was probably supposed to be threatening, but really just came across as endearing.

Dan bit back a smile. “What, is that part of your internet overlord powers?”

“Yes,” Phil nodded determinedly. “Just a glimpse of what you can have when I finally convince you to upload your own video.”

And there went that familiar squirming in Dan’s stomach again - some weird mix of nerves and anticipation, and maybe, just _maybe_ , another emotion that it was still far too early to name. Instead, he flopped against his pillows, dragging his laptop with him and making a face at Phil. “You know it’ll just flop if I do.”

“It will not.” Phil wagged his finger at Dan, putting on a stern impression. “I told you, the clips you sent me were good.”

“Yeah, but their just…”

“Just what?”

Dan waved a hand, mumbling, “Like, vague. Just random _ideas_.”

Phil grinned at him, that achingly wide grin that made Dan want to poke his cheek. “Every video is a random idea, Dan, that’s kind of the point.”

“Yeah, but yours are _good_ random ideas.”

“So are yours.”

“Stop being nice to me,” Dan mumbled. His stomach was doing that weird twisty thing again.

“No can do, sorry.” Phil stretched out, languid, a yawn stretching his lips. “I’ve got, like, a make-Dan-happy order imprinted onto my brain now.”

That time, Dan literally couldn’t hold back his grin.

Phil caught the expression and grinned back at him, and suddenly it was as if Dan could _feel_ it, that warmth, radiating all the way from Rossendale to Wokingham, past all the miles as if they didn’t even matter.

And maybe they didn’t. Because Dan was sure of one thing - one day, _one day,_ he was going to see Phil for real. And he’d grab him and hold on tight and probably never ever let go, because he had a strong suspicion that once he felt Phil’s arms around him, nothing else could quite compare.

But it was still too early for such rich, sappy thoughts.

So, instead, Dan reached for his sarcastic smile and told Phil off for being so sentimental.

Phil, of course, just ignored him, sticking his tongue out before distracting Dan with news of his newest outdoor escapade.

And when, a few months later, Dan finally _did_ cross all those miles and meet in person on a rainy platform somewhere in the north, maybe he whispered to Phil just how much he liked him. Sentimentality worked both ways, after all.

And maybe, then, Phil grasped him so tight that Dan never even thought about letting go.

And, truly, he never did.


	6. Things you said when we were the happiest we ever were

“Glass walls,” Phil’s tone was as decided as he ever got. It was the tone that Dan recognised when he knew that Phil had gone full stubborn mode - the tone that said _no, Dan, no matter how much you ask, we are not going to start a DIY prank channel_ or _you are using that fireworks effect in every video until it runs out._ There was just no use arguing with him.

Not that Dan wouldn’t try, of course.

“Are you even serious?” Dan shook his head, rolling on the hotel bed to furrow his brows in Phil’s direction.

Phil nodded, his jaw set. “Glass walls.”

“Phil, do you even know how impratical that is?”

“Impractical how?”

“Think of the heat!” Dan wrinkled his nose. “In the summer, it’ll be like living in a fucking conservatory. Not to mention the possibility for breaking it - we’re bad enough with a glass kitchen door, I don’t even want to _think_ about the amount of damage you could cause with glass walls everywhere.”

“I’d be careful!” Phil almost sounded affronted.

“I know you would, but _Phil,”_ Dan’s voice was full of fond, “You know as well as I do how clumsy you are. Remember the cactus in the drawer?”

“I was exhausted!”

“And you’re going to be exhausted in our future house at some point, too,” Dan pointed out dryly. “I’m not against maybe one glass wall - it could be pretty, I like light too, you know…”

“No you don’t,” Phil muttered, “You just want everything to be black.”

“…Shut up, but I just think all four walls is a bit of a stretch.” Dan propped himself up onto one elbow, leaning down to kiss the tip of Phil’s sullen nose. “Plus, think of everyone just staring in. People in glass houses, and all that.”

Phil wrinkled his nose, still looking forlorn.

“Plus, I don’t want our Shibe getting confused and banging it’s fluffy little head on the wall.”

Phil grinned up at Dan then - a sudden, dazzling grin that burst past his stubborn boundaries and lit up his entire face. “See, I know you’re just a fluff monster at heart.”

“Shut up.” Dan flopped down again, shoving his face into the crook of Phil’s neck. “You’re going to ruin my aesthetic.”

“See, this is why we really need glass walls…”

“ _No,_ Phil,” Dan shook his head, muffling his chuckle in the soft fabric of Phil’s pyjamas. “Not all of them, at least.”

Phil blew out a long, huffing sigh. “ _Fine._ I guess I can make do with one wall.”

“Good.”

“We’re definitely getting a hamster, though.”

Dan narrowed his eyes. He turned his face up to glare at Phil. “Do you literally not remember Suki?”

“Yes, but _my_ hamsters were fine!” Phil’s tone was just a smidgen above a whine. “And we’ll get them a proper big cage - two cages so they won’t fight - and they’ll have the run of the garden, and…”

“We’re getting a garden now?”

“…Of course, how else do you expect us to bring up our kids, and the Shibe will need somewhere to play.”

“True.” Dan pursed his lips, nudging his face back into Phil’s chest. “Alright, ok, I guess I can get behind a garden.”

“And the hamsters?”

“And _maybe_ the hamsters.”

Phil huffed, running a hand roughly through Dan’s hair and grinning when it frizzed up in all different, crazy directions. Dan grumbled, rolling off him and sitting up to thread his fingers through it, trying to fix it back into shape.

Phil snickered at him.

Dan flicked his shoulder lightly. “Shut up, idiot. I have to go on stage with this mess tomorrow.”

“Yeah, well, you can fix it in the morning then.”

“But we were going to go to the park in the morning!” Dan was whining this time, his lips pursing into a pout. “I wanted to wander around the lake with you - without the crew following our every step, I mean.”

“We can do that, too.” Phil was smiling, just a little, slightly dizzy with just how happy his life had become.

Just how happy the man at his side had become along with it.

Phil slung his arms around Dan’s waist and tugged him back down, laying him down on the sheets beside him so he could cradly his face in the crook of Dan’s neck. “Shut up, lie down. I think we’re actually happy, let’s keep this, yeah?”

Dan’ voice was a little awed as he lifted an arm to cradle Phil in return. “Yeah. Yeah, you know what? With you, I think I can actually do happy.”


	7. Things you said when you were crying

Dan didn’t know what to do.

Phil _never_ cried. Literally, even after years of living together, Dan could count on one hand the number of times he’d seen Phil actually, properly crying, tears streaming, snot dribbling, the whole bit. If he was angry, his voice got low and quiet; if he was upset, he’d go all tense and tight in a ball until Dan came along and persuaded him to unwind with cuddles and pets.

Actual sobs, though - those were rare, and Dan didn’t quite know how to deal with them.

He could hear Phil from the kitchen, and knowing that Phil must be curled up in his room, alone, whimpering and letting out little high whines muffled in his pillow, was breaking Dan’s heart.

Whatever it was, why hadn’t he just come to Dan to talk about it?

Quietly, Dan set down his cereal and padded down the corridor. He chewed on his lower lip, hovering outside Phil’s door for a moment. The whines and gasping breaths were louder from here, dropping through the closed wood like stones dropped to the bottom of a lake.

Dan mustered up his courage and knocked, gently.

Immediately, predictably, the sounds stopped. Phil always tried to hide his more extreme emotions from Dan, no matter how many times Dan told him that he didn’t need to, that Dan would help him through anything if he could.

After a moment of silence, Dan knocked again, and then spoke through the wood. “I’m coming in, alright? I heard you crying.”

There was the sound of a flurry of movement as Dan pushed the door open, and then he was met with Phil, hoody on, back turned, fumbling with a mountain of pillows.

Dan narrowed his eyes as he stepped further into the room. “What are you doing?”

“N-nothing!” Phil’s voice was much too bright. He kept his back turned, focusing solely on putting all the pillows back into their rightful place. “I was - I was just, um, thinking, we should change the sheets…”

“Phil.” Dan’s tone was stern, but warm, as he stepped further into the room and stopped at the edge of the bed. He hovered a hand over Phil’s arm, but didn’t move any closer when he noticed just how much Phil was trembling.

Dan licked his lips. “What’s happened?”

“I told you, nothing.” Phil’s breath hitched mid sentence, and he still refused to turn around.

Dan shook his head. He would ordinarily be smirking at Phil and making some wisecrack about how much of a terrible liar he was, but the whining noises from earlier were still echoing loudly in his head, so instead he sat himself down next to Phil and leaned into him. “No, come on. Tell me.”

“Noth…” Phil didn’t even make it through the word before he was breaking down. His back still to Dan, his frame crumped in on itself, his shoulders bowing and his hands pressed to his face. He was still trembling.

“Oh, Phil.” Dan moved on instinct, ignoring his own nerves and worry. Phil had done this enough for him in the past, but it was rare for the roles to be reversed. He fell into his new role naturally enough, though, winding his arms around Phil’s shaking shoulders and bringing him close into his chest. Dan laid his cheek on Phil’s hair and rubbed soothing circles into his back, murmuring gently. “It’s alright. Just rest with me.”

Wetness was soaking into the front of Dan’s shirt. He had one arm tight around Phil’s back, the other gently stroking through his hair, feeling Phil’s trembling begin to subside against him. Eventually, Phil calmed, his face buried in Dan’s chest, his hands squashed awkwardly between their bodies.

Dan didn’t push him away. Instead, he hummed gently into Phil’s ear, “You gonna tell me what that was about?”

“It wasn’t really anything,” Phil mumbled, his voice scratchy.

“That’s bollocks.”

“It really isn’t important.” 

“It made you _cry_.”

Phil managed a weak sort of chuckle. He leaned back enough to meet Dan’s eyes, and Dan’s heart broke all over again at how red-rimmed Phil’s were, how ghostly white he looked. Phil flicked a hand through Dan’s hair, then leaned against him with a gusty sigh. “I’ve just had a few nasty comments. That’s all.”

Dan’s expression dropped. “Gimme your laptop.”

“Dan -”

“I will _murder_ them.”

“Dan.” Phil chuckled again, stronger this time, and he caught an arm around Dan’s waist to trap him. “Don’t. They’re deleted - they’re gone, it’s nothing.”

“…Alright.” Dan looked slightly mollified as he settled back into Phil’s embrace. “Just, will you _tell_ me next time? I don’t like walking in here to find you freaking out in a corner on your own.”

Phil smiled just a little, and kissed Dan’s forehead with still watery lips. “Alright. I promise.”

“Good.” Dan leaned into him, and they settled into silence for a few moments.

“Just, Phil?”

“Yes?”

“Next time, will you hold off on deleting the comments until I at least send them _one_ message?”

“No, Dan.” But now Phil was laughing. “You sending threats isn’t going to help anything.”

“No one said anything about threats…”

“But I know you.”

“I’d just … encourage them. In strong words.”

“Exactly why you’re not allowed the laptop.”

“Phil!”


	8. Things you said when I was crying

“I don’t like it!”

“I told you we shouldn’t have turned the lights off!”

“But it wasn’t supposed to be that scary!” Dan’s tone was amusingly betrayed. “Everyone on youtube said it was just lame jumpscares, I didn’t think it would be this _scary_!”

“Well, it wasn’t _that_ bad.” Phil’s eyes were twinkling as he cast a sidelong glance at Dan.

Dan was visibly trembling, muttering under his breath. “Not that bad, I’ll give you _not that bad,_ fucking Silent Hill wasn’t as scary as this…”

Phil snickered under his breath. “Come on, Dan, that was only the first night.” He went to take the mouse out from under Dan’s sweaty hand, unsurprised when Dan offered no resistance for once. He clicked back onto the Five Night’s At Freddy’s home screen, trying to to shiver at the images.

He felt Dan curl into him at his side, and flicked a careful glance at the camera - it was ok, the distance between them was still enough not to cause suspicion. Which was good, because Phil could literally feel Dan trembling against him.

“I’m going to click now,” he warned, and felt Dan nod against him, muttering a low assent.

So, gathering his own courage, Phil clicked onto the second night.

Predictably, it was horrendous. The jumpscares were loud and sharp and horrible, relentlessly appearing every few minutes no matter what Phil tried to do. Dan screamed every time, and Phil was fairly sure his right ear was going to suffer for this in the future. Eventually, though, when the jumpscares just got worse and worse and they were no clearer to beating the night, Phil called a halt, reaching up to switch off the camera.

He released a sigh of relief, slumping back in his seat. “That was _terrible._ We are never playing that again.”

A mumbled huff was all he got in reply.

Frowning, Phil turned to his side, fixing Dan with a sharp look. Dan was wrapped up in his chair, his arms around his knees, his face pressed into his hands. He was still trembling.

“Dan?” Phil arched a brow, reaching out to touch Dan’s arm.

Dan jumped a mile, screaming.

Phil startled back, his eyes widening, while Dan scrambled around in his chair with a desperate shout, his hands flailing. Phil caught his wrists automatically, holding him still. “Dan! Calm down, it’s me!”

Dan struggled for another moment before he settled, his distressed gaze falling upon Phil. Dan could feel wetness against his cheeks, his fingers still trembling from the game, but it wasn’t because he was a coward, no. Immersion was important, he just … immersed himself a bit too deep.

“Dan?” Phil was still cocking his head, but there was the beginning of a mischeivous smirk twitching at his lips. “Are you actually crying?”

Dan finally found his voice, though it came out hoarse and scratchy. “Shut up! I told you I didn’t like it!”

Phil’s smirk shifted into a fully-formed grin. “Aw. Want some help there?”

“Please,” Dan muttered, and then lifted his arms pathetically.

Phil snickered. He got to his feet, switching off the computer, and then grasped Dan’s hands in his own and pulled him up to his feet. Dan instantly grabbed onto Phil’s shirt, attaching himself firmly to Phil’s side.

“It really isn’t that scary,” Phil hummed in his ear.

“Yeah, well,” Dan hissed, “You can put me in bed and turn all the lights off yourself, right?”

“It was _your_ idea to do spooky week,” Phil grumbled good-heartedly as he began to lead Dan out of the office and down the stairs. Even Phil had to admit, he peered for a bit longer around each corner than he normally would.

When he reached their bedroom, he manhandled a clingy Dan into bed, disentangling himself from Dan’s grasp with difficulty.

Dan huffed at him. “You’d better get back here quickly, or that flippin’ duck’s gonna eat my face.”

“I promise to get back before anything eats your face,” Phil chuckled as he made for the door.

“Yeah, well, you’d better.”

And that night, once Phil had ensured all the lights were turned off and he was safely tucked back in next to Dan, he wasn’t all too surprised when Dan grabbed him and literally didn’t let go until the first rays of dawn poked through their blinds.


	9. Things you said to our children about me

Darkness settled like a comforting blanket over the spacious room, coming to rest over the two little cots spaced out evenly from each other. Both children were already, thankfully, asleep. Phil sat between them on the floor, fairytale book open in his hands, but his attention was solely on their sleeping forms.

The curtains were drawn firmly shut, the nightlight shining like a whisper in the corner. The only sound was the tiny, fast movement of their breaths accompanied by his slower, deeper ones.

Phil couldn’t hold back the smile from his face. He leaned his head against the wall, not wanting to move yet even though he knew Dan was waiting for him downstairs. He just wanted to stop, to hold and treasure this domestically blissful moment - one he was never sure his crazy life would actually allow him to have.

From one crazy hurdle to another, from making videos on his own to making videos with Dan, to the hundreds upon thousands upon _millions_ of people who watched them, book and tour and radio show and endless meetings, breathless screams of _Oh my God it’s Dan and Phil,_ their whirlwind of a life that never slowed down, never stopped.

They’d raced along with it as much as they could, sometimes clinging on by the tips of their fingers, other times standing on top of the world. Phil would never, _ever,_ have dreamed of _anything_ like this when he’d first sat in his little student bedroom with his black-and-white camera, trying to be all artsy and individual but really just looking like a lost young boy.

One thing he knew for sure - he never would have made it this far on his own.

Because Dan had come storming into his life, Dan who at first had been wide-eyed and awestruck, blown away by Phil and by this crazy world they found themselves in. That same Dan who had grown into a proud and happy young man, striding about on stages by Phil’s side, always pushing and challenging their best ideas. And now, that Dan who just hours ago had been singing Kanye West loudly over making their kids’ dinner, filtering out some of the less-appropriate phrases and adding in his own lyrics instead.

It hardly even seemed real.

“You two are so lucky, you know,” Phil eventually murmured into the quiet, dark air of the bedroom. “You’ve got him as your dad.”

There was no reply. They’d been asleep almost an hour - Phil should leave already.

But he couldn’t bring himself to move, too caught up in the nostalgia and beauty and _perfection_ of the moment.

“He’ll love you with everything he has,” Phil continued, his voice barely a rustle in the smooth, dark night. “That’s just who he is. He gives his _everything,_ especially in the things that really matter. To the people that really matter to him.”

“That’s you, guys, by the way,” Phil added with a small grin, “And me. Miraculously.”

The small breaths continued, even and relaxed. The room remained undisturbed. Even Phil didn’t notice the quiet shadow hovering in the doorway, the half-footstep, held in stasis, waiting for the right moment.

“And you’ve got little old me, too,” Phil murmured as he clambered up to his feet, bones creaking. “I’ll be the old, out-of-touch father with the terrible jokes. You’ll probably be embarrassed of me. But Dan -”

Phil’s voice caught. He swallowed, flicking his gaze between the two sleeping children.

“Well, Dan will _get_ you. He’s been through it all, y’know? And much as he tries to hide it, he actually gives the best advice of anyone. And I just - you know, kids, you _know_ he’ll love you with everything. You’ll know, and you’ll love him back, and that’s everything he deserves.” Phil let out a calming breath, sending them both one last smile. “That’s everything you all deserve.”

Phil let out the tiniest of squeaks when he happened upon Dan in the doorway. Dan, who was leaning against the frame with his sleeve pressed to his mouth, eyes slightly damp and shining in the nightlight’s weak gaze.

Before Phil could back up, Dan’s hand was circling his wrist and he was pressing kisses to Phil’s face, all over, anywhere he could reach in the shadows of the night. “I love you,” he whispered between them, pouring his affection into the air. “It’s not miraculous, you idiot, of course I - of course -”

“I know,” Phil returned, kissed him once, and then led him slowly away from the kids’ room, leaving the door open just a crack.

One or the other of them would be awake later, no doubt - nightmares, or wanting another of Phil’s special glasses of milk - and when that happened, they would deal with it with gentle hugs and quiet reassurances, as they did every night.

But for now, just for now, the evening was theirs and theirs alone.


	10. Things you said too quietly

The TV was blaring in the background, but Phil was hardly paying it any attention. Instead, his entire body was warm with the _Dan_ that was leaning up against his side, almost too close after so many hundreds of miles apart.

Phil berated himself internally. This wasn’t the first time Dan had visited - they’d been visiting pretty regularly for a couple of months now - but his stomach apparently hadn’t received the memo that it didn’t need to completely flip out every time Dan was near him again.

Thankfully, after the first couple of visits, Dan had almost completely lost his shyness. Not that it wasn’t entirely endearing to see his eyes widen every time their fingers brushed, but it was extra nice to have Dan pressed up confidently against his side, all warm and soft and huggable.

The film was still playing, but Phil’s attention was on Dan, and from the way Dan kept sneaking sidelong glances at him, he seemed to have noticed.

Sure enough, when Dan caught him staring for about the fifth time in half an hour, Dan’s lips curled upwards and he chuckled. “Are you even watching this, Phil?”

“Maybe.” Phil nudged at Dan’s hair with his chin. “But I’m watching you as well.”

“I can see that.” Dan shook his head, but his smirk was shifting into a grin. He leaned further against Phil, curling up against his chest, their legs knotting together. “Honestly, it was _your_ suggestion to put it on.”

“Can’t help it,” Phil answered honestly. “Don’t get to see you enough. I have to make the most of the time we have, right?”

Dan turned to face him again then, and the happiness of his expression went straight to Phil’s chest. Phil gathered him up into his arms, snickering when Dan squirmed in his grip and grumbled, “Rude, I was comfortable.”

“Well, now you can be comfortable-er.”

“You’re so ridiculous.” Dan swiped a retaliating hand through Phil’s hair, but he was grinning. “Honestly, so ridiculous, I lo-”

He cut himself off abruptly, but Phil felt warmth flood his entire body. He grinned right back, and pulled Dan closer. Dan nuzzled his face into Phil’s chest, relaxing against him and mumbling something into his shirt.

Phil’s eyes narrowed. “What was that, sorry?”

“Nothing.” Dan turned his head, flashing Phil a smile before turning back to the TV. “Let’s watch this film.”

Phil hummed, resting his chin on Dan’s shoulder. “You can tell me, you know.”

“I know.” Dan flicked him a glance, but stayed in place, his hands twisting on his lap.

Phil didn’t push it. He relaxed into Dan, thanking every star for the millionth time that this little ball of warm energy had come bursting into his life and completely reignited it. He knew Dan would say it loudly, one day. Phil, too, would proclaim it one day, would let all the words for this emotion come bubbling up to his lips, flowing out and into the space between them, finally cementing exactly what they were to each other.

One day, that would happen.

But for now, he was content to cradle Dan against him, and be held in return.


	11. Things you said at 1am

“Dan, Dan, look.”

“Look at it! It’s got _teeth_.”

“It’s worth it, I promise.”

“Dan.”

“Dan, there’s another one - oh my God, there are so many!”

“I’m gonna send them to you, you need to see this.”

Dan slammed his laptop lid down and sent Phil an exasperated look. “I am literally in the same room as you.”

“Yeah, but you weren’t paying me any attention.” Phil was bouncing on the balls of his feet by the door, his phone in his hand. His hair was mussed, his glasses on, and his pyjamas were the brightest thing in the room.

Dan released a sigh. He shoved his laptop off his knees and turned as much as he could without getting off, sending Phil a sharp stare. “Why are you still awake?”

“Huh?”

“It’s 1am, you’re usually at last _tired_ by now.”

“Oh.” Phil glanced up at him with eyes that were a little too bright. “I had a coffee, earlier, I think. But it’s fine. I just really need to show you…”

“ _Phil.”_ Dan shook his head, his lips twitching. “Whatever it is can wait until the morning. You should go to bed.”

Phil looked a little put out. “But _you’re_ still awake.”

“Yes, well,” Dan sent a wry glance to the unedited video still sitting on his laptop, “Sadly, that really isn’t unusual for me.”

“I’ve told you loads to come to bed at the same time as me.”

“Yes, Phil, you have, but just because I didn’t doesn’t mean that you should start staying up as late as I do.”

“Well.” Phil shrugged, and then he was grinning in that way that ate up his whole face. “I’m awake now, and I will be for hours. Want to cuddle and watch a film?”

Dan huffed. “What, you think I can drop my very important work just because you want attention?”

“Yes.” Phil vaulted onto the sofa beside him and grabbed his laptop, placing it firmly on the floor. “Because, I know for a fact you’ve been editing that for hours, and you’re not going to edit it anymore, you’re just going to have it open and flick between tumblr and Twitter until you inevitably collapse at 3am.”

Dan blinked.

Huh. Had Phil really got to know his patterns that well?

“So, come on.” Phil had found the TV remote from somewhere and was flicking through their recorded programmes, humming thoughtfully. “There’s that new documentary - or the new thing with the zombies, that looked halfway decent -”

“No, no,” Dan gave in and leaned into Phil’s side, snatching the remote off him. “If you’re making me do this, we are _not_ watching horror late at night.”

“It wasn’t even proper horror!” Phil defended himself.

“It was close enough, now sit back and let me find something.”

“Fine.” Phil huffed, but he obediently stretched out on the sofa, his legs finding their way over Dan’s lap.

Dan only rolled his eyes at this as he flicked onto the menu.


	12. Things you said that I wasn't meant to hear

Dan was sitting in his own bedroom for once, staring at his desktop computer with blurry eyes. He’d been editing this video for the better part of five hours, only pausing when Phil shoved food in his face, and even then he’d only mumbled a thank you before getting back to his editing.

Dan grimaced. He didn’t like neglecting Phil all day. Of course, Phil was fine by himself, but he knew - they both knew - that time together was the best part of the day.

He finished up one last clip, sliding together two frames, before saving his work and turning off his monitor. Enough editing for one day - his channel could wait, he had a Phil to cuddle.

Dan made his way through the corridor, pausing to check Phil’s bedroom. The door was open and the lights off, and it was too early for Phil to be in bed, so Dan turned and made his way up to the lounge.

He paused in the doorway when he heard Phil’s voice coming from the kitchen.

“No, I don’t think just now is the best time.”

There was the sound of rustling, and then a clang of pans landing on the counter.

“I told you, he’s working - it can’t be that important.”

Dan blinked. He hesitated just before pushing open the glass door, instead hovering in the corridor for a little longer.

“I know it means a lot to you, but we can’t just drop everything and come in.”

Dan frowned. Phil didn’t often sound this angry.

“Look, I’m sorry - we can rearrange for next week, right? - Right - No, sorry, tomorrow isn’t going to be possible. I told you, Dan’s going to be busy, we already have something arranged.”

Dan’s frown only deepened. He quickly ran over his mental calendar, then pulled out his phone, checking his events. No, there was nothing down for tomorrow at all. Oh, shit, what had he forgotten this time?

“No, I can’t come in by myself.” Phil let out a sigh just on the edge of frustrated. “I’m really sorry, but we can’t come to a meeting on this short notice - can we rearrange for next week?”

Dan was so far past confused that he might as well have been speaking a different language. What meeting was this even about? Who would want to be meeting them?

“Ok, yes, that’s fine. I’ll email you our availability then. Thanks for your help!” Phil hung up, then muttered under his breath, “Not that you were really very helpful.”

Dan deliberated for another half a minute, but then pushed through the glass door and proclaimed in a dramatic voice, “Which uncultured swine wasn’t being very helpful to you?”

Phil jumped a mile in the air, a squeal resounding from him. He pressed one hand to his chest, breathing out slowly. “You almost gave me a heart attack!”

“Sorry.” Dan leaned against the wall with a grin. “That sounded serious. What have I completely forgotten that we’re supposed to be doing tomorrow?”

“What?” Phil blinked at him, then quickly span around to face the pans. “Oh, nothing. I was about to start cooking. Mexican sound alright?”

Dan blinked. “Yeah, sure. Um. But seriously, what have I forgotten?”

“You haven’t forgotten anything,” Phil answered honestly.

“Then what were you talking on the phone about?”

“You weren’t meant to hear that conversation.”

“Well, I did, so.” Dan folded his arms and pinned Phil with a glare. “Spill.”

Phil turned to him with a heavy sigh. “It really isn’t important. BBC called, wanted to set up a meeting, but I said we’d be too busy.”

Dan arched a brow. “Why? We have nothing on tomorrow.”

“Well, I know that.”

“So?”

“So.” Phil coughed, flicked a glance at Dan, then span back to his pans. “I just. Thought.”

“…You thought.”

“Yeah.”

Dan snickered. “I know you _do_ have the capability to do that, Phil, however much you don’t use it.”

“Rude.”

“Necessary. Come on.” Dan tilted his head. “What’s up?”

Phil sighed. “I was just - I was thinking. You’ve been editing all day, and I know how much you get in your headspace when you spend too long doing that. So tomorrow I was going to force you to do something.”

Dan blinked. Hard.

“I mean, like, go out somewhere,” Phil said all in a rush. “The cinema, or the park, or - or we could stay in, too, we haven’t built a pillow fort in ages. Just. Something to get you out of the editing hole I know you’ll have worked yourself into.”

Dan was silent for several moments, processing that.

Eventually, he took a step closer, considering. “Phil.”

“Yeah?”

“Did you just blow off a very important BBC meeting to force me to have a day off?”

“Well.” Phil scrunched his nose up over the pan of frying chicken. “I mean. Maybe?”

Dan held the silence for another moment before he released a low laugh. “Well. I’m grateful.”

“Oh.” Phil sounded oddly relieved. “Well. Good.”

Dan leaned against the counter beside him, sending Phil a grin. Already, he felt the tense little knot that had been building in his stomach starting to unwind. “But now you’re forcing this to happen, we’re going to have to do it properly. Let’s go out somewhere. To see a film, and then a fancy meal - and then we could take a walk somewhere new. Sound fun?”

“Sounds perfect.” Phil grinned at him, that same grin that took over every other expression, crinkling the corners of his eyes and lighting up his face.

Dan grinned back, and went to set the table.


	13. Things you said to make me blush

It was a well known fact that Phil did _not_ blush.

He could make _Dan_ blush with little to no effort. Just one compliment, or a passing comment about his fangirling habits, or a click onto his internet history, had Dan scrambling away to protect his dignity with pink rising high on both his cheeks.

Phil enjoyed those moments. And he was even more proud that Dan could never do the same to him.

Dan, however, was on a mission to get his own back.

It started with Dan leaning right into Phil’s space, crowding into him on the sofa, or in the kitchen when they were cooking dinner together. Phil narrowed his gaze and shot a glance at Dan, suspicion clouding his words. “What are you up to, Howell?”

“Oh, nothing,” Dan answered innocently, even as he deliberately leaned past Phil to snatch up the sauce.

Phil stepped back, but Dan moved with him, brushing light fingers down his arm. Phil’s gaze narrowed.

Dan swished out of the room with a grin and a wink, leaving Phil more confused than ever.

Later that night, they were settled together on the sofa with their empty plates abandoned on the floor, when Dan reached across Phil for the remote and then stayed there.

Phil gazed down at Dan sprawled across his lap, and lifted one eyebrow. “Did you need something?”

“No.” Dan shifted, settling more comfortably.

Phil blinked. He didn’t argue, though, simply settling into place and focusing on the film. After a while, his fingers found their way to Dan’s hair, and Dan melted into his lap. A few scratches later, and the bottom of Dan’s right cheek was sporting a red patch.

Phil grinned, poking it. “You’re adorable.”

Dan mumbled something unintelligible and leaned further into Phil’s touch.

Dan’s final strategy was implemented late that night.

He’d slid into bed late, after Phil was already asleep, although his constant shifting of the blankets made Phil swat at him with a sleepy groan.

“Hush,” Dan murmured, “I’m just getting comfy.”

“Get comfy quicker,” Phil grumbled, his eyes already shut.

Dan gave a low chuckle. He curled himself around Phil’s tired frame, wrapping one arm loosely around his waist and nuzzling into the crook of his neck. “Love you, you crazy grump.”

“Y’too,” Phil mumbled.

Dan smiled at him. He gently ran a finger through Phil’s hair, pushing it back from his forehead so he could press a gentle kiss there. “No, you don’t understand. I _really_ love you.”

Phil opened one bleary eye, questioning.

“You’re the most important person,” Dan continued in a low murmur, “In my life, or ever, really. Think of all the people you inspired - me, I wouldn’t be here without you, but all those people across the world - everyone watches us because of you.”

Phil’s eyes were widening.

“You’re leaving a trail of happiness behind you, Phil Lester.” Dan gave him the gentlest smile Phil had ever seen. “Everyone is better off for having you in their life.”

And there it was - the sight Dan was beginning to fear he’d never see. Phil’s eyes were wide, and his mouth was slightly open, and his cheeks were turning the most delicate shade of pink.

Dan grinned triumphantly, kissed Phil’s cheek, and then settled down beside him. “Knew I could do it.”

After a few minutes of stunned silence, Phil pressed himself into Dan’s side with a grumbled, “You don’t play fair.”

“I still won, Lester.”

Phil just grunted and stubbornly closed his eyes. But he held onto Dan extra tight that night.


	14. Things you said when we were on top of the world

“Look at it.”

“I know.”

“This city is beautiful, can we come back here?”

“I don’t see why not.”

“Maybe we could move here,” Phil mused thoughtfully from the top of the Sky Tree.

Dan snorted. “I’m not sure the cuisine would work for us, Phil, you’ve already resorted to burgers and waffles.”

“True.” Phil grimaced, falling silent for a moment as he leaned against the railing. Tokyo sprawled out below them, glowing and beautiful in the dark of the night. Even the neon signs didn’t seem as harsh as they did back home, set against a clear sky rather than the constant grey of London.

Dan leaned beside him, elbows touching. They were tallest in the room by far, and they stuck out a mile, but neither of them cared. They were too caught up in their own bubble. This always happened when they were together in a crowded room - the rest of the world seemed to shrink, as if they were watching everything from inside their own little glass dome, protected from the stares of strangers.

Dan tilted his head, musing aloud. “Some things I want, though. I wasn’t joking about the koi pond.”

“That’d be nice.”

“And I approve of their building colours,” Dan hummed, and Phil recognised his thinking tone. “Maybe we could paint our house a pastel colour, or employ a street artist to graffiti it, or something.”

Phil felt a smile tugging at his lips. “I’m not so sure our landlord would approve.”

“Well, obviously not our house _now_ , Phil.” Dan shoved him good-naturedly. “I meant our future house. Like. When we move on - oh God, you _do_ want that, right?”

“No,” Phil deadpanned, sternly facing the city of Tokyo and refusing to look at the man beside him. “That sounds terrible, actually, the last thing I want is to spend the rest of my life with you.”

“Shut up.” Dan shoved him again, elbowing a bit too hard, and Phil rubbed his rib with a betrayed squeal. Dan shook his head at him, smirking, and captured Phil’s hand between both his own, giving it a squeeze.

Phil leaned into his side with a hum.

They continued to stare out of the glass, surveying Tokyo so far below them. Japan had been an escape for them - here, they weren’t recognised at every street corner, and though Dan had at first been a bit put out (”You mean there are people who _don’t know you_?!) they both quickly realised this meant they could relax.

No worrying about sneak photos, or getting caught. They could hold hands if they wanted. They could curl up on a bench and not care about the stares.

Dan hadn’t removed his hands from around Phil’s. He was standing tall and proud, the inch or so he had on Phil evident in his strong profile. He was smiling, and his eyes were happy, and Phil wanted that image burned into his lids forever.

Instead, he moved to Dan’s side and murmured, “I have one condition for this future house, though.”

“Oh?” Dan turned to face him, eyes glimmering.

“You are _not_ making it entirely monochrome.”

Dan wrinkled his nose. “Ruining my aesthetic.”

“Don’t care.” Phil sniffed, glancing down at the city again. “Besides, I thought you liked the pastel.”

Dan followed Phil’s glance and hummed in agreement. “Alright. Black and white with some tasteful pastel thrown in.”

“And blue.”

“And blue,” Dan agreed. “Happy now?”

“Maybe.” Phil entwined his fingers with Dan. “I’m happy anywhere that’s got you in it.”

Dan’s answering smile was all the reward Phil would ever need.


End file.
